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...on Gambling

www.ProjectCork.org

Summer 2002

Impulsivity, coping, stress, and problem gambling among university students.

Lightsey OR Jr; Hulsey CD. Journal of Counseling Psychology 49(2): 202-211, 2002. (70 refs.)
The authors investigated whether coping styles moderated the relationship between (a) impulsivity and stress and (b) stress and gambling behavior and tested whether impulsive persons who use avoidant or emotion-focused coping under high-stress conditions are most likely to gamble. Among 202 university student volunteers, 33% of men but only 3% of women reported problem or pathological gambling, and neither stress, impulsiveness, nor coping predicted gambling among women. Among men, impulsiveness, task coping, and emotion coping accounted for significant and unique variance in gambling. For higher task coping and lower emotion-focused coping, impulsiveness had a weaker relationship to gambling. Additionally, among nonimpulsive men, emotion-focused coping in high stress conditions was most likely to result in gambling.

A prospective study of youth gambling behaviors.

Winters KC; Stinchfield RD; Botzet A; Anderson N. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 16(1): 3-9, 2002. (32 refs.)
Little is known about the course and outcomes of adolescent gambling. This prospective study describes findings from a 3-wave (Time 1 [T1],Time 2 [T2], and Time 3 [T3]) assessment of gambling behaviors among youth (N = 305). Stable rates of any gambling and regular gambling (weekly or daily) were observed across T1, T2, and T3. The rate of at-risk gambling significantly increased at T3 (young adulthood), whereas the rate of problem gambling remained stable over time. Several adolescent risk factors were associated with either T3 at-risk or problem gambling, many of which are risk factors for adolescent substance abuse. Findings suggest that important to the origins of young adult gambling problems are risk factors associated with the problem behavior syndrome of adolescence.

A comparison of young, middle-aged, and older adult treatment-seeking pathological gamblers.

Petry NM. Gerontologist 42(1): 92-99, 2002. (27 refs.)
Purpose: Pathological gambling is an increasing public health concern, but very little is known about this disorder in older adults. This study evaluated gambling and psychosocial problems across age groups in treatment-seeking gamblers. Design and Methods: At intake to gambling treatment programs, 343 pathological gamblers completed the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and gambling questionnaires. Participants were categorized by age into young adults (ages 18-35 years; n = 97), middle-aged adults (ages 36-55 years, n 197), and older adults (aged older than 55 years, n 49). Differences in demographics, gambling variables, and ASI composite scores were compared across the groups. Results: The middle-and older age gamblers were more likely to be female (45%-55%) than were the younger gamblers (23%), but the groups were similar with respect to most other demographic variables. When controlled for gender, older age was associated with increased employment problems, but fewer social, legal, and substance-abuse difficulties. Compared with middle-aged gamblers, older gamblers wagered on fewer days. Age x Gender effects emerged in onset of gambling problems and amount spent gambling. Older women did not begin gambling regularly until an average age of 55 years, whereas older male gamblers generally reported a lifelong history of gambling. The older female gamblers also wagered the greatest amounts in the month prior to treatment entry. Implications: These data suggest that older adults compose a minority of treatment-seeking gamblers, but differences in psychosocial problems across the age groups may suggest the need for interventions tailored to particular issues encountered by older pathological gamblers. Specifically, treatments focusing on later life development of problems may be indicated for older female gamblers.

Community assessment of the effects of casinos on quality of life.

Nichols M; Stitt BG; Giacopassi D. Social Indicators Research 57(3): 229-262, 2002. (28 refs.)
Recent attention has focused upon the social and economic impact of legalized gambling, particularly casino gambling. Though considerable attention has been paid to the effects on individuals in such areas as problem gambling, less attention has been given to the effect casino gambling has on citizens' day-to-day life. In particular, how does the introduction of casino gambling affect their quality of life? This paper explores this issue utilizing multiple indicators gathered as part of an in depth study of the effects of casino gambling on crime and quality of life in eight new casino jurisdictions.

Epidemiology of problem gambling in Prince Edward Island: A Canadian microcosm.

Doiron JP; Nicki RM. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 46(5): 413-417, 2001. (21 refs.)
The objectives of this study were to gather information that describes the extent of gambling and problem gambling in Prince Edward Island (PEI), to rigorously analyze the relation between gambling activities and problem gambling, to document cognitive and emotional correlates of problem gambling, and to identify an at-risk gambling group. A random, stratified sample (n = 809) was selected to represent the adult population of PEI. Both the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and an early version of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) were administered to participants who had gambled. Results indicated that the current rate of problem gambling was 3.1 percent. Problem gamblers were likely to be under age 30 years, to be single, and to report cognitive, emotional, and substance abuse correlates. Multiple-regression analysis identified a unique and substantial relation between problem gambling and video lottery terminal (VLT) use. A group of at-risk gamblers were identified (scoring 1 or 2 on the SOGS), comprising 14 percent of the sample. These findings indicate that gambling and problem gambling patterns in PEI resemble those in most other provinces. The relation found between problem gambling, VLT use, and cognitive, emotional, and substance use correlates should apply to the greater population as well.

Gambling in mild-moderate alcohol-dependent outpatients.

Sellman JD; Adamson S; Robertson P; Sullivan S; Coverdale J. Substance Use & Misuse 37(2): 199-213, 2002. (25 refs.)
There is a growing interest in the comorbidity of "substance use disorder" and "problem gambling," although there has been little study specifically on people with "alcohol dependence" who are being treated in general alcohol-and drug-user outpatient settings. This study aimed to determine the nature and extent of gambling in a sample of 124 mild-moderate alcohol-dependent outpatients. Of these, 79.8% had gambled in the previous 6 months and 29.8'% on at least a weekly basis. Although a wide range of gambling modes was used, by far the commonest was Lotto, a national weekly lottery, at 60.5%. Some 19.4% were found to manifest current "problem gambling" [i.e.. scored at least 1 on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) instrument], and a further 4.0% were found to manifest pathological gambling confirmed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Version IV (DSMIV) diagnosis. "Problem gamblers" were significantly more likely to be involved in all modes of gambling compared with non-problem gamblers. However, the most differentiating modes, in order, were gambling machines, dogs, casino, and horses. Treatment implications of these findings are discussed. A two-arm model of intervention for problem gambling within the alcohol-rind drug-user treatment setting is proposed.

Comparison of problem-gambling and non-problem-gambling youths seeking treatment for marijuana abuse.

Petry NM; Tawfik Z. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 41(11): 1324-1331, 2001. (44 refs.)
The prevalence and correlates of problem gambling (PG) in marijuana-abusing adolescents were evaluated by retrospective analysis of data collected from participants entering treatment for marijuana abuse in Philadelphia, PA, and Hartford, CT, between 1998 and 2000. Of 255 adolescents interviewed, 22 percent reported gambling problems. Compared with non-problem gamblers (NPGs), PGs were more likely to be male, African-American, and to live in single-parent homes. The two groups were compared on psychosocial problems using multivariate general linear models. After controlling for age, gender, and race, differences between the groups emerged in drug use severity, legal difficulties, psychiatric problems, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behaviors. PGs reported a greater frequency of overall drug and alcohol use and greater intensity of marijuana use than their NPG counterparts. They had more illegal activity and greater somatization and anxiety symptoms as well as higher levels of victimization. Compared with NPGs, PGs also reported more recent sexual partners. The data suggest that PG is common in marijuana-abusing youths and that they have increased psychosocial problems. These findings suggest the need for early identification and treatment of PG in substance-abusing adolescents.